Towards flapping wing control for a micromechanical flying insect

Considers a 2 DOF resonant thorax structure signed and fabricated for the MFI project. Miniature piezoelectric PZN-PT unimorph actuators were fabricated and used to drive a four-bar transmission mechanism. The current thorax design utilizes two actuated four-bars and a spherical joint to drive a rigid wing. Rotationally compliant flexure joints have been tested with lifetimes over 10/sup 6/ cycles. Wing spars were instrumented with strain gauges for force measurement and closed-loop wing control.